Contents

Understand

One of the newest quarters of the city, almost entirely built after 2000, Shiodome has been transformed from a derelict railway cargo terminal to a miniature city of skyscrapers. Parts of the area still remain under construction but most is now open.

Get in

Shiodome is directly accessible via Shiodome station on the
Yurikamome new transit and Toei O-Edo subway lines. The bigger train hub of Shinbashi, on the JR Yamanote line, is also within easy walking distance. All buildings are connected together by an underground concourse and a web of walkways.

See

Advertising Museum Tokyo, B1F Caretta Shiodome, Higashi-Shinbashi 1-8-2, [1]. A small modern museum of advertising in Japan and elsewhere, run by Japan's biggest ad company Dentsu. Free entry, open 11 AM to 6:30 PM Tuesday to Saturday.

Old Shinbashi Railway Station. This faithful reconstruction of the Tokyo terminus of Japan's first railway is built on the site of the original and even showcases the few remaining bits. The inside, however, is now given over to several expensive restaurants and cafés.

Shiodome Museum, 4F National Center. This small museum has only a tiny permanent collection, but houses changing exhibitions.

Do

Buy

Sho-Chu Authority, B2F Caretta Shiodome. This humbly named shop stocks over 3,000 varieties of the Japanese tipples shochu and awamori. Open 11 AM to 10 PM daily.

Nittele Shop, B1F-B2F Nippon Television Tower. Stocks a vast variety of TV-related goods; much will be unfamiliar to the non-resident, but there's a pretty good selection of Studio Ghibli items too.

Shiodome City Center[3]. Glass tower full of trendy restaurants and shops.

Eat

Caretta Shiodome has two sections dedicated to eating: Canyon Terrace (1-3F), for lighter café-style eats, and Sky Restaurants (46-47F), for gourmet dining with views of Tokyo Bay. If these aren't enough there's another dozen restaurants in the main mall's B2F.

Mid-range

Drink

Saryō Tsuriji (茶寮都路理), B2F Caretta Shiodome. This massively popular tea shop usually has long queues waiting to sample its high-end green teas and delicate Japanese confectionery. An easier and cheaper alternative is to grab a cone of tea-flavored ice cream (¥300) from the adjoining shop, available in green tea and roasted hōjicha flavors.

Sleep

Mid-range

Villa Fontaine Shiodome, 1-9-2 Higashi Shinbashi, tel. +81-33569222, [4]. Giant four-star hotel opened in 2004, currently one of the best deals in town with rates as low as ¥10,000 for a single. All rooms equipped with Internet.

Park Hotel Tokyo, Shiodome Media Tower, 1-7-1, Higashi Shimbashi, tel. +81-3-6252-1111, [5]. If the Park were any more minimalist, it wouldn't be here at all. This sky-high establishment boasts a light and airy foyer, with inviting lounge and restaurant adjoining. Rooms start from ¥19,500 single.

Splurge

Conrad Tokyo, 1-9-1 Higashi-Shinbashi, tel. +81-3-6388-8000, [6]. The latest contestant for the heavily competed title of most expensive hotel in Tokyo opened in July 2005. Rooms will start from a whopping ¥52,000.